8-Year-Old Boy Who Disappeared Near Mile-Long Lava Tube Cave in Arizona Found Safe One Day Later
Mar. 15, 2025The Lava River Cave in Coconino National Forest.Photo:Google Maps
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Google Maps
An 8-year-old boy who went missing for over a day while his family was visiting a national forest in northern Arizona has been found safe.
The sheriff’s office said that the boy’s family reported him missing at around 6:15 p.m. local time, and the office’s search and rescue unit looked for him through the night, reporting that he had last been seen on foot at the cave’s entrance.
“Patrol deputies and the Search and Rescue unit had multiple teams searching the area through the rainy night but the child has not been located at this time,” the sheriff’s office wrote in their Thursday morning Facebook post. “Search efforts are continuing throughout the day.”
According to Weather Underground, the Flagstaff area experienced rain from around 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday night and the temperature dropped to 57 degrees. The sheriff’s office stated in its missing persons report that the 8-year-old was wearing a grey t-shirt, pants and sneakers at the time he went missing.
At around 11:40 a.m., the sheriff’s office updated its Facebook post to announce that Maron had been safely found after hours of searching.
“UPDATE!” the office wrote in its post. “THE MISSING BOY HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE.”
Coconino National Forest, southwest of Flagstaff, Ariz.Kpa/Zuma/Shutterstock
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Kpa/Zuma/Shutterstock
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The department recommends visitors wear warm clothes and appropriate shoes.
“Dress appropriately when you come to visit, with warm clothes and sturdy shoes. The cave is as cool as 42° even in summer, and you may even find some ice inside,” the Forest Service website states. “The rocks are always sharp and slippery, too. Bring two or three sources of light, in case one happens to fail, it can be very dark one mile from the nearest light source.”
source: people.com
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